Matthew 17:9……Ready

Matthew 17:9……Ready

17:9 As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus instructed (mandated) them, “Don’t tell anyone what you have seen, (vision-K.J.V., A.V.-Not that they had a dream, spiritual–revelation, prophecy of sorts. But more in the sense of what they had witnessed with their eyes)  until the Son of Man (A Messianic title signifying the Messiah’s human & divine nature, taken from Danial 7:13-14 ) has been raised  from the dead.” (To their credit they obeyed Jesus, we  know this because Marks Gospel says they kept it to themselves-(Mark 9:10) (For Complete Expository See Book)

Extended Sermons

“Teaches how Christ’s death & resurrection is to be the foundation and bedrock of our faith, not spiritual experiences”→ The Christian faith is rooted in the reality of the cross and the empty tomb. Spiritual experiences are meant to confirm our faith, not to build our faith. These mountaintop encounters, though meaningful, are not the substance but rather the confirmation of what has been accomplished through the cross and the empty tomb. As the disciples learned, the passing glory of extraordinary events gives way to the enduring presence and promise found in Jesus alone, calling us to anchor our trust not in fleeting feelings but in the eternal reality of His redemptive act. Oftentimes people who have spiritual experiences, visions, or dreams will claim how it changed their life. We all have spiritual experiences. But we’re not to rely on those experiences as the grounds for Saving faith. Spiritual experiences often fade over time. While personal spiritual experiences are valuable and can deepen our faith, they are not meant to overshadow the central message of Salvation found in Jesus. The Gospel is not about elevating our own experiences or achievements, but rather about proclaiming what Christ has accomplished through His sacrificial death and triumphant resurrection. By keeping Jesus’ work at the heart of our message, we ensure that the focus remains on the hope and redemption He offers to all.

“Teaches how sometimes spiritual experiences are meant to be between us and God alone and not for everyone else around” ⇒  You don’t have to share every spiritual experience with everyone. Sharing spiritual experience can shift the focus from devotion to seeking validation and attention from others. Sharing spiritual experiences can lead to egoism and superiority. Sharing spiritual experiences with the wrong people can lead to disillusionment due to their lack of interest in spiritual matters.  Sharing spiritual experiences can cause envy, creating an unhealthy atmosphere of comparison and competition. Sharing spiritual experiences can cause judgmental reactions that you have a superiority complex. Sharing spiritual experience can lead to mockery and dismissal, which can be damaging to your faith, leading to self-doubt, even questioning whether the experience was real or not. You end up irrationally it, minimizing it, or ignoring it all together. Sharing spiritual experience can make one susceptible to exploitation by those who would use it to manipulate or promote falsehoods.

“Teaches how some spiritual experiences are better understood and better shared later as we grow in greater insight and understanding.”⇒ Some things are better understood when lived out. The Lord uses experiences that serve a purpose not only in the moment, but also in a greater purpose later in the future that better serves us and others people. There’s things we experience now that we will have a better grasp on later and a better tool to witness with down the road. Not just for ourselves but for those others around us. Just like the disciples Jesus knows we may not get it now, but we will get it later. In fact there’s some stuff were going to have to wait for when were with the Lord to have a full understanding of it. Not only that, but sometimes the Lord calls us to hold back what He has said so that when it does takes place we will better believe and better prepared .

Additional Notes & Applications

Warns against stirring up controversy and jealousy by flaunting our spiritual gits and abilities before others.

Teaches as we grow in spending time with Jesus up on the mountain, we take down what we learn and apply the truth to our lives.

 Calls for obeying and trusting in what the Lord instructs even if it seems unreasonable and counterintuitive.  

Teaches how there are somethings we shouldn’t talk about until we understand them more fully.

Teaches the importance of waiting for God’s timing in our own spiritual journey.

 Challenges believers to trust in God’s timing in revealing His plans.

Teaches how no words can explain the glory of God it comes by personal experience.

Calls for humility, that were not priding ourselves on how great and important we must be to God.

Teaches how there’s certain experiences between us in the Lord that are meant to be treated as sacred and personal. There are certain treasures that the Lord gives that we may grow and thrive.

Can you image how hard this would have been for Peter who was married. and the restraint he would have had to use. (How many of us wouldn’t share this secrets with our own wives) You would think how could anyone hold something like this back. If your Peter your thinking I can’t wait to tell the other disciples. Wait until my brother Andrew gets a load of this or my wife.

Where Jesus’ call for silence was for that time and place. The good news for us is that Jesus has been raised from the dead! That means we don’t have to be quiet anymore. We can tell everyone about Jesus.

According to the historian and theologian Saint Jerome in his commentary on Matthew. Says that not only were disciples not tell the people. But they were not even to tell the other nine disciples as well. Out of fear of dampening their spirits and causing them sorrow. Or envy because they were not present with Peter, James, and John at the Transfiguration.

Reasons for Jesus’ Call for Silence

• Would cause a popular revolt in attempting to make Jesus a conquering king by force.

• The disciples were still confused about Jesus’ work and mission.

• The resurrection would give the disciples a better testimony to declare to the people.

• Jesus’ suffering would have shaken the faith of the disciples and quickly disillusion those who held Him to be divine.

• It would stir up jealousy among the other discipled, that Peter, James & John were entitled to special rights and privileges above the other disciples.

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